1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical communications and optical signal control. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical device and method for delaying photonic signals.
2. Related Art
The fields of communications and data processing are currently transitioning from using electrical signals to using optical signals. As a result, there is an increased need for optical devices that perform various tasks in the control of these optical signals. Such devices include delay blocks for synchronizing optical pulses for communications. The synchronization of optical pulses requires the use of controllable delay devices which do not significantly distort the optical beam as it passes through the device. In particular, robust, compact, lightweight delay devices for use with a variety of predetermined optical frequencies must be developed to be easily integrated into existing optical systems.
One method of creating a low distortion, controllable photonic delay is through the use of "uniform" photonic band gap (PBG) structures, also called band-edge delay line devices. Uniform PBG structures typically comprise a stack of alternating layers of refractive materials of similar thicknesses, such as gallium arsenide and aluminum arsenide, which exhibit photonic band gaps in their transmission spectra. These alternating layers have different indices of refraction and can be deposited by well known deposition techniques onto a substrate.
By sending a photonic signal of a given frequency (.omega.) through this type of delay device, the discontinuity of the indices of refraction imparts a delay to the photonic signal. These devices slow down the photonic signal as a result of scattering inside the uniform PBG structure. Since the photonic delay is proportional to the square of the number of periods contained in the uniform PBG structure, a device can be constructed that imparts a predetermined delay to a photonic signal. The physical processes involved in the photonic signal delay imparted by a uniform PBG structure are described in detail in Scalora, et al., "Ultrashort pulse propagation at the photonic band edge: large tunable group delay with minimal distortion and loss," Phys. Rev. E Rapid Comm. 54(2), R1078-R1081 (August 1996), which is incorporated by reference herein.